Idaho Montana Wyoming AGs join push for Second Amendment task force
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and attorneys general from Wyoming and Idaho are joining forces to support the creation of a Second Amendment task force led by West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McClusky. Earlier this month U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi highlighted the task force’s role in using legal means to combat gun control legislation. The task force would use litigation to challenge gun control laws.
Governor Gianforte Signs Historic $250 Million Tax Cut for Montana Businesses
Governor Greg Gianforte, alongside DLI Commissioner Sarah Swanson, celebrated a historic $250 million tax cut for Montana businesses on Thursday. At a Dick Anderson Construction site in Helena, Gianforte signed House Bill 210, sponsored by Rep. Steve Fitzpatrick, reducing the unemployment insurance tax burden on employers, resulting in an estimated annual savings of $250 million over the next decade.
Montana Legislature Nears Completion with Budget Severely Out of Balance
The Montana Taxpayers Association’s Legislative Tax Bulletin states that the 69th Legislature is nearing completion and is expected to close next week. Most budget work is done, but the property tax bill needs finalizing and the budget is severely out of balance at this time and there is little indication that there is a will in the working majorities of the Legislature to fix that.
Judge considers permanently blocking 2023 Montana law banning gender care for minors
Senate Bill 99 prohibits puberty blockers hormonal therapies surgeries and some other medical treatments from being used to help a trans youth transition from their sex assigned at birth but in September 2023 District Court Judge Jason Marks temporarily blocked the law from going into effect. Thursday lawyers debated the veracity of what started it all in court and now the Missoula judge will determine whether to strike it down permanently without a trial or send the case to be heard by a jury.
‘Once-in-a-generation’ bill worth $900 million intensifies divisions at MT Legislature
House Bill 924 worth more than $900 million moving through the legislature establishes a trust fund to help when the state is in a financial bind. The bill is the most expensive currently in play as it is responsible for the largest withdrawal from the general fund this session. It needs a final vote in the Senate before it can be transmitted back to the House.
Montana legislature inches closer to property tax reform
House Bill 483 has made its way to the governor’s desk. If signed it could deliver $50 to $60 million in property tax relief starting this fall. It also redirects surplus funds from the 95 mills to reduce local levies for school transportation and teacher retirement. The Right Back Act is designed to provide protection against tax spikes between reappraisal cycles. It also increases state reimbursement for school transportation for the first time in 20 years and is expected to provide $18 million in local relief by 2026.
Whistleblower leaves Montana DOT over questions regarding Beartooth Highway work
Susan Lenard who worked for the Montana Department of Transportation for ten years resigned earlier this month after repeatedly raising objections to a bank stabilization project along the Beartooth Highway blaming its rising price tag on the agency’s use of a method that allows the contractor and the project designer to work in tandem instead of as separate entities. The original contract awarded to the lowest bidder was for $5.9 million but change orders have since boosted the cost by more than $22 million. It is one of eight federally funded repairs authorized in the Red Lodge area following the damaging June 2022 flood.
Indian Affairs Leadership Makes Montana Visit
Scott Davis Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the Interior and other leaders from Indian Affairs wrapped up a multi-day visit to Montana Thursday. Davis spoke at the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council where he met with leaders of tribes in Montana Wyoming and Idaho and shared the administration’s vision for a relationship between the federal government and tribal nations that prioritizes efficiency accountability and results over bureaucracy.
More Headlines:
The U.S. Forest Service is proposing a project to thin and burn 7,905 acres of forest south of Bozeman near the Hyalite Canyon recreation area. 81% is “wildland urban interface” in Gallatin County’s community wildfire protection plan and is part of the Bozeman Fireshed one of the 250 highest-risk firesheds in the country.
Local groups met with Representative Ryan Zinke Thursday morning at the AC Hotel in Bozeman to discuss how conservation is evolving amid dramatic changes under a new administration. Each one was invited to share project updates exchange ideas and explore strategies to advance conservation goals under current federal leadership.
Senate Joint Resolution 5 which received Senate approval last month was given approval Thursday by the House. It calls on Congress to pass a proposal that would allow financial institutions to lawfully serve state-licensed marijuana businesses. If approved on its third reading it will be enacted without requiring the governor’s signature.
Southwest Montana’s destination marketing organization has announced its rebranding to help promote the region more effectively while attracting more visitors. Visit Southwest Montana’s new logo and branding aim to differentiate it from other brands while drawing tourists to the area. It serves nine counties and around 60 communities in Southwest Montana.
